SAGE Lecture Spark March 5, 2019

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Death Row Inmate with Dementia The U.S. Supreme Court sent a death-row case back to the lower courts on February 27th, ruling in favor of Vernon Madison, a death row inmate who claims he can no longer remember his crime. Madison was sentenced to death in 1994 for the murder of a police officer. Madison suffers from vascular dementia, and his attorneys argued that his death sentence violates the Eighth Amendment. In its ruling, the Supreme Court stated that the State of Alabama must assess Madison’s competency and ensure that if he is to be executed, that he knows why. Do you believe that the state of Alabama will be able to prove that Madison is competent? Here are a few sources regarding the Supreme Court ruling: Supreme Court blocks execution of inmate with dementia By: Lydia Wheeler The Hill 02/27/2019 https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/431840-supreme-court-blocks-execution-of-inmate-with-dementia Supreme Court Rules for Death Row Inmate With Dementia By: Adam Liptak The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/27/us/politics/supreme-court-death-row-inmate-dementia.html Supreme Court takes case of death row inmate who forgot the crime By: Andrew Chung Business Insider 02/26/2019 https://www.businessinsider.com/r-supreme-court-takes-case-of-death-row-inmate-who-forgot-the-crime-2018-2

Key Concepts How does the Supreme Court’s ruling demonstrate the application of the Eighth Amendment to inmates? The Eighth Amendment provides protection against cruel and unusual punishment. According to Justice Elena Kagan, “if a person suffering from any mental disorder — dementia included — is unable to rationally understand why the state wants to execute him, then the Eighth Amendment doesn’t allow the execution.” The following source provides more statistics and information pertaining to the death penalty in the United States: Supreme Court blocks execution of inmate with dementia By: Lydia Wheeler The Hill 02/27/2019 https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/431840-supreme-court-blocks-execution-of-inmate-with-dementia

Key Concepts According to the Death Penalty Information Center: A total of 1,493 of prisoners have been executed since 1976. Capital punishment is currently legal in 30 states. Blacks make up 42% of death row prisoners. As of July 1, 2018, 185 prisoners in Alabama were on death row and the state has executed a total of 64 inmates since 1976. The following source provides more statistics and information pertaining to the death penalty in the United States: Facts About the Death Penalty Death Penalty Information Center 03/04/2019 https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/FactSheet.pdf

Assessment Writing: How prevalent is capital punishment in the United States? Debate: Vernon Madison should still be executed for the crime he committed. Poll: Do you believe that executing an individual with dementia is cruel and unusual punishment? Short Answer: What constitutes cruel and unusual punishment? Current Events Quiz 1. Vernon Madison suffers from ______. A. dementia B. schizophrenia C. Bipolar disorder D. Alzheimer’s   2. Vernon Madison is an inmate in which of the following states? A. North Carolina B. Georgia C. Texas D. Alabama 3. Capital punishment is legal in ______ states. A. 30 B. 42 C. 45 D. 50 4. Vernon Madison was sentenced to death for killing a police officer in 1985. (T/F) 5. According to Justice Elena Kagan, a faulty memory alone triggers protections of the Eighth Amendment. (T/F) 6. The Alabama state court must assess Vernon Madison’s competency and ensure that if he is to be executed, that he understands why. (T/F) Answers 1) A 2) D 3) A 4) T 5) F 6) T